Genesis 48:15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;
Psalms 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
1 Kings 3:6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you.
Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Thessalonians 2:12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
“God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day”. What does a shepherd do? They guide, direct, feed, tend, keep safe, lead, and care for their flock. Not all sheep want to be led. For a shepherd the weather can be awful and the sheep seem to have a death wish. They have natural tendency to flock and when all seems well they will wonder away from the flock unaware of any danger. They truly are dependant upon a shepherd for everything even though they do not recognize it.
Scripture uses metaphors of us being like sheep. Lost and in need of a loving shepherd.
“ there is something a little disheartening about being described as a sheep. It is difficult to admit our likeness to animals that so depend on a shepherd for survival. We are much more accustomed to being shepherds in control than sheep so in need of leadership. Yet, when it comes to our relationship with God, Jesus understands our human tendencies better perhaps than we understand ourselves. When it comes to our faith, we are very much like sheep in need of a shepherd. Like sheep, we have the tendency to follow. Like sheep, we often confuse true leadership with the kind offered by hired hands (shepherds who are in it for the wrong reason). Like sheep, we are endangered by those who prey on our vulnerability, the spiritual wolves. Like sheep, we are perhaps most vulnerable to ourselves and our tendency to wander away from the care of the shepherd and the safety of the flock. We certainly need a good shepherd, like Jesus, who is willing to care and sacrifice for us. Accepting that we are indeed like sheep is the hardest part for many people. It is our human nature to want to be in control of our lives. Yet, to be a follower of Christ, we must accept our spiritual likeness to sheep and our need for a good shepherd. As we continue to ponder the great news of the resurrection, may we be ever aware that to fully experience Christ, we must allow Christ to be the shepherd of our lives.” Tracey Allred
We do well to walk worthy and by the leading of our great shepherd.